Is female genital mutilation really that bad? I mean, we practice circumcision...

To be clear, I'm against both, but I get a little annoyed whenever female genital mutilation is mentioned, as if guys don't get their cocks carved up in our own culture or in other cultures...

No. Female genital mutilation is different from circumcision in several ways. First, it's typically done to prevent women from enjoying sex. In most types of female genital mutilation the clitoris is cut off. Sometimes in a hospital, but most commonly without anesthesia, with a knife or scissors. In the most extreme forms of FGM a woman's clitoris, inner labia, and outer labia are cut off and the wounds are sewn shut, leaving a small hole for urine and menstrual blood to leak out. Then, when she gets married, her husband cuts her open. Literally.

Now, if you disagree with circumcision, that's fine with me. I don't see any need for it, and all of the medical reasons people give for getting it done are bullshit. But comparing the two, especially circumcisions done in the US by trained professionals, is out and out ridiculous._________________"Worse comes to worst, my people come first, but my tribe lives on every country on earth. Iíll do anything to protect them from hurt, the human race is what I serve." - Baba Brinkman

Last edited by Dogen on Sun Feb 24, 2013 8:45 am; edited 1 time in total

Well... I think that we are better off avoiding the question of why "It seems worse when it happens to women." There's a long, dark road ahead of that._________________Welcome to Sinfest, the only place with a 46 pages long thread about sentient toasters

I mean, the way I interpret the comic, it says that the robots actually are free all the way along, but what limits their action is that they don't desire to be anything else in order to be happy, and when exposed to cruel realities of the World, then they become angered and rebellious.

This is, of course, a very clever and subtler metaphor for gender programming

My head's a little fuzzy. Can you give me a quick breakdown of gender programming? I'm having a bit of trouble understanding your analogy in that context _________________If at first you don't succeed [in persuading or explaining something to me], then try and try again.

The question is, how do we stop genital mutilation without having people jump down our throats for religious suppression? We get enough harassment for things that don't actually suppress religious practices, like allowing civil same sex marriages and teaching evolutionary biology in school._________________Deviant Art | Twitter | Tumblr

The question is, how do we stop genital mutilation without having people jump down our throats for religious suppression? We get enough harassment for things that don't actually suppress religious practices, like allowing civil same sex marriages and teaching evolutionary biology in school.

Depends. Would you prefer slowly influencing your opponents to your view, or would you rather drag them kicking and screaming into change?_________________Back to my usual spot.

I mean, the way I interpret the comic, it says that the robots actually are free all the way along, but what limits their action is that they don't desire to be anything else in order to be happy, and when exposed to cruel realities of the World, then they become angered and rebellious.

This is, of course, a very clever and subtler metaphor for gender programming

My head's a little fuzzy. Can you give me a quick breakdown of gender programming? I'm having a bit of trouble understanding your analogy in that context

Kinda simple, actually. We do know that women, just like men, are free to choose their way of life. The idea behind this comic, though, just like the Minique one earlier, is that women are made to WANT specific choices. The fembots were exposed to images of a happy life with pretty background music that depended on them being what they are "expected" to be. When Curly put on the CD, virus or whatever, she was exposing them to very (perhaps far too much for Sinfest) uncomfortable truths that happen in consequence to adhering to that lifestyle, which made them want to rebel.

No. Female genital mutilation is different from circumcision in several ways. First, it's typically done to prevent women from enjoying sex. In most types of female genital mutilation the clitoris is cut off. Sometimes in a hospital, but most commonly without anesthesia, with a knife or scissors. In the most extreme forms of FGM a woman's clitoris, inner labia, and outer labia are cut off and the wounds are sewn shut, leaving a small hole for urine and menstrual blood to leak out. Then, when she gets married, her husband cuts her open. Literally.

Well... why do you think the sons of Abraham had to have their foreskin removed? The big guy didn't want them to enjoy spanking it, and they were also supposed to look different from the men who did not share their religious beliefs.

And yes, it's atrocious, but I said men have it better in that regard anyway. Either way, I don't think either is okay, and while one is more brutal than the other, I get a little miffed that everyone kind of just lampshades circumcision simply because it's not as bad.

EDIT:

Leohan wrote:

Kinda simple, actually. We do know that women, just like men, are free to choose their way of life. The idea behind this comic, though, just like the Minique one earlier, is that women are made to WANT specific choices.

Aaaah. I had an inkling that you were talking about something like this, but I wasn't sure. That makes sense.
Don't tell anyone, but I'm starting to like you, 'cause you're helpful and stuff _________________If at first you don't succeed [in persuading or explaining something to me], then try and try again.

I love you.

Last edited by Smooshie on Sun Feb 24, 2013 8:50 am; edited 1 time in total

The question is, how do we stop genital mutilation without having people jump down our throats for religious suppression? We get enough harassment for things that don't actually suppress religious practices, like allowing civil same sex marriages and teaching evolutionary biology in school.

To me, that's easy. Your religious freedom ends where all of my rights begin, just like, as the saying goes, your right to swing your fist ends where the other guy's nose begins. You can raise your child any way you like, but you aren't free to treat their body any way you like. This is obviously applied inconsistently, though, as with the case of religious objections to medical treatment, blood transfusions, etc. But the legal framework exists._________________"Worse comes to worst, my people come first, but my tribe lives on every country on earth. Iíll do anything to protect them from hurt, the human race is what I serve." - Baba Brinkman

No. Female genital mutilation is different from circumcision in several ways. First, it's typically done to prevent women from enjoying sex. In most types of female genital mutilation the clitoris is cut off. Sometimes in a hospital, but most commonly without anesthesia, with a knife or scissors. In the most extreme forms of FGM a woman's clitoris, inner labia, and outer labia are cut off and the wounds are sewn shut, leaving a small hole for urine and menstrual blood to leak out. Then, when she gets married, her husband cuts her open. Literally.

Well... why do you think the sons of Abraham had to have their foreskin removed? The big guy didn't want them to enjoy spanking it, and they were also supposed to look different from the men who did not share their religious beliefs.

And yes, it's atrocious, but I said men have it better in that regard anyway. Either way, I don't think either is okay, and while one is more brutal than the other, I get a little miffed that everyone kind of just lampshades circumcision simply because it's not as bad.

You also asked if female genital mutilation was "really that bad," which hopefully you realize now was kind of a stupid fucking question._________________"Worse comes to worst, my people come first, but my tribe lives on every country on earth. Iíll do anything to protect them from hurt, the human race is what I serve." - Baba Brinkman

Do we care at all that a disproportionate amount of feminist women end up alone and childless?

Cite your sources, beanbag.

Although I'm currently alone and childless and loving it, so maybe they have a good thing going for them._________________"Worse comes to worst, my people come first, but my tribe lives on every country on earth. Iíll do anything to protect them from hurt, the human race is what I serve." - Baba Brinkman